steelankles

How to make your c7 seats comfortable:
What your doing:
Taking seat apart and bending base outboard rod down, and drilling holes in foam bolstering on base of seat.

I really like the Stingray but these seats are making me not want to drive it, and I want to drive it forever.
If you don’t have leg pain with your seats then no need to read any farther, if you do this thread is for you.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage to your ride, use this instructions just as a guideline. I had no instructions on this I just figured it out myself. Figured I would post this to help out other people that would like to try this. If you are not mechanically minded and are not strong enough to lift a 60lbs seat out of a car, take it to a proper mechanic to work on it for you.

Tools:
Ratchet
14mm deep well socket
Small Torx I will get size later
Big torx socket T-45
Body panel remover or (flat head screw driver)
Small flat head screwdriver
2 pairs of pliers
Some Towels
Some blocks or chunks of 2x4s

Start with this:
Roll driver window down, and remove roof, and raise and retract steering wheel for most clearance
Remove Key from car and in general area to reduce threat of airbag.

Seat Removal:
Adjust seat all the way to rear of the car
Remove 2 front nut covers
(They pop off towards the front of the car, Pry under towards front of car)
Remove 2 front nuts
Adjust seat toward the front to expose 2 rear nuts
Remove 2 rear nuts
Small torx screw on left rear corner of the plastic side panel
Remove battery terminal from battery
Look under seat under lower left side for the seat plug in (sitting in seat point of view)
Seat connector has as lever to release the connector.
Remove plastic push pin from seat for wiring harness

Side Panel removal: (This is difficult to explain)
Push down on left side bolster you should see the black hook that holds in on the side
With side panel push slighty down on side panel and toward the side of the seat until it unhooks
Then the front rocks down and then the top of the panel is rocked out where there is a plastic clip I the middle
I used a small screwdriver with with panel rocked out from the top to pop the clip
Then the panel should come out

Remove seatbelt from seat:
Life rear of seat use 2 2x4 or anything to prop under rear of seat for the next step
Use a Rachet with a torx socket unscrew seatbelt from seat
Gently pry up with small screwdriver on orange locking plug to remove connector from seat belt

Seat Removal:
Put towels on lower door frame to reduce risk of scratching the car
Fold seat forward
Lift seat up and out (careful the feet are metal and can scratch plastic metal about 60lbs)

Seat Cover removal:
Set seat on workbench if possible with towel so it can lay down on
Lay it on its back
2 elastic bands hold top seat cover on pull up and off (not hard)
Bottom middle of seat there is black velcro strap unhook velcro
Bottom middle of seat there is a white rope with a hook in the middle
Use 2 pliers grab ropes and pull together and unhook rope
Set seat upright
On rear base of seat fold back the upper seat cover
This will expose Velcro straps on rear base of the seat unhook velcro
Pull lower seat cover forward and up to remove seat cover from foam
It is connected to the foam with velco on the top and clips in the middle
I used a small screwdriver on the orange clips some just popped out correctly
Fold seat cover back

Time to do the work:
At this point I realized part of the problem was not only the foam being too hard
The metal rod that the side panel hooks on is the support bar for the foam
I bent the rod down with my hands (I should have measured first)
Then I sat in the seat with cover of off it, and repeated the bending until it was comfortable
Think I bent it about ½ inch down maybe more (don’t do too much or the side panel may not fit right)
At this point the seat was way better
Then I drilled with ¼”3 rows of 10 holes long in the sides of the foam

Reverse instructions to reinstall:
Getting the seat cover back on was a bit of a pain but I t went on.
Use 2 pliers to reattach white rope on to hook (this was hard)

Results:
Seats feels 100% better way more comfy

Hope this helps other people that have this problem.

Zymurgy

Pictures would really help anyone that may want to do this.

ParishM

seel2000

I sure am glad I have experienced zero leg pain because this sounds like a real pain in the *** to do. Good on you for finding a solution though.

jrainlay

aworks

I have not been in the car for weeks now. I don't even want to sit in it. The car is great to drive and I can't make myself get rid of it. I'v been driving a Corvette as my daliy driver for 20 years now so other than my truck I don't want anything else. My car has the 3LT int. Not sure if there is any diff. in the seat.

That being said I hate the seat in this thing. I can't drive it for more than 20 min. without wanting to get out. If the weather ever gets nice here in CT I intend on bringing the car into my shop and take the seat apart and see what can be done. This post gives me hope that I can fix this problem so I can drive this otherwise great car.

If not it's gone.

Brian G.

dvilin

Rather take an advil.

Woodson

and if I'm not mistaken the seat bottoms are the same regardless of trim level.

aworks

I see what Op means about the steel rod support. You can push the bolster away and see the rod. I just bent it way down with just a short pry bar. No need to take anything apart to just bend the rod. It dose allow the bolster to move over some. I'll have to drive the car later to see how much diff it made.

alienranch

Keep us informed

quackattack

i like the seats too. My buddy is selling his c7 to keep the peace in his house - spousal unit does not like seats and thus hates car! I will dare say that these new seats are more unforgiving of let's say ... a generous BMI and even a fit 6+ ft person may have a beef. this cockpit is similar to a fighter jet and the tight snug fit is a delight to me!

Bill B 1

I didn't bend the support rods but I did drill the bolster foam. It made a big difference for me.
Check out post #78 in this thread. This has pictures of the drilled holes.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...+seat+bolsters

steelankles

If your strong enough you can push down on the outside lower bolster. thi There is only one rod on the outside edge of the seat.

I tried that with passenger side seat before taking it apart. I still ended up drilling the foam and pushing bar down more.

Bill B 1

Not unless they changed things for 2015. Absolutely no adjustment on the seat base bolsters on my 2014 3LT. Side bolsters are adjustable.

Woodson

Same with 2015

steelankles

I stand corrected really thought they were adjustable.

Calif Vetteman

I really don't have any problem with my C7 regarding seats, but I haven't taken a long trip yet. I am more comfortable when I take my wallet out of my back pocket.

I drove my C4 today and the first thing I do when getting in, is to remove my wallet. My left side starts going numb after awhile of driving in my 93.

Bill B 1

Thats alright....we forgive you!

rjpothoff

I have the same problem and really hope someone comes up with a better solution. If not I will try to find a really good upholstery shop to get an opinion on what they could so.

Hold on 7

Must remove battery cable

I had to remove the seats are in mine and just unplugging the seat clog pop the 30 amp circuit breaker located in the trunk this would not of happened if I had removed battery cables first also would like to know that when the seat covers off I trimmed with a razor the side bolsters and added a small cushion in the center of the seat bottom the seats could not be more comfortable now than ever
If you live in the south Florida area a company called F3 55 out of Miami does the work perfectly they can be reached at 305 505 3133 ask for Rivon